Night Chef: An Epic Tale of Friendship with a Side of Deliciousness!

by Mika Song

Ratatouille meets the magic of Studio Ghibli as a lonely raccoon who secretly lives inside a fine French restaurant and yearns to be a chef must venture into the woods for the first time to help a baby crow find its home.

The Night Chef has never had a family—only a dream.

She's spent years living inside the walls of a human restaurant, honing her cooking skills. She knows she can fry an omelette with the best of them-- but she also knows that humans will never accept her. And so she keeps to herself, hidden and alone.

Then, one evening, when Night Chef cracks an egg open for her dinner, a baby crow named Ichi falls out! Despite being reluctant to leave her home, Night Chef steps into the wilds in order to reunite Ichi with his family. And along the journey, she might just find a family to call her own, too.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Middle Grade, Animals, Food, Fiction, Fantasy, Comics

160 pages, Hardcover

Published October 28, 2025

About the author

Mika Song grew up in Manila, Philippines, and Honolulu, Hawaii. She moved to New York to attend the Pratt Institute and worked in animation before making children's books. She lives in New York City with her husband and daughter.

Reviews

[Maia]

A food-loving raccoon who grew up in the walls of a restaurant yearns to cook her own recipes. But when an egg she planned to eat hatches into a baby crow, she leaves the restaurant for the first time to seek for the baby bird's family. Along the way, the raccoon meets fellow cooks, stretches her skills, and learns about her own past. This is a very simple story but I loved the watercolor art and the fun animal character designs. A fun comic for early readers.

[Skye Elder]

ARC Review!!!

This book has beautiful artwork and the storyline is amazing! 🤩
From the moment I started reading this I could not put down, literally!
I would recommend this to anyone and everyone!

[Penny Schneider]

Mika Song did not disappoint with Night Chef. The story just pulled you along the journey with this adorable raccoon chef. I loved the life lesson, every comes full circle. I don't want to spoil it, it is definitely worth the read! Adorable, fun and full of life art! The end pages of recipes and drawing tips were great additions!

[Holly Wagner]

The watercolor illustrations are a breath of fresh air (like her other work) within the genre. The story of the Night Chef is adorable. But it’s not until the end that you get the whole story. Ratatouille is so completely different yet tickles your memory. But I think they are both stories that children will enjoy.

[Alyssa ♡]

maybe 4 stars is generous, but this is for ages 6-9, after all. it's a quick read with an uncomplicated story and the watercolor art is gorgeous. the night chef herself is endearing and i liked where her journey took her by the end.

[Larakaa]

Veeery sweet and Ichi is so cute! I also liked how the raccoon learned how nice it is to outside and find friends.

[Lisa]

My daughter read this and wanted me to read it too. It was very cute! I love the little raccoon chef, the illustrations are so sweet. Cute little story.

[Tuck]

Really fantastic illustration, good story of working together to help a loved one. Funny too. With recipes

[Kayla Zabcia]

90%

This one is freaking adorable! This has the magical vibes of a Studio Ghibli movie, but with delicate watercolor artwork and flowy ink outlines. The story was sweet, and I was sad to see it end. The only thing I would change is I wish they found a way to cure the owl of his rat poisoning; the story implied he was a good guy until outside circumstances made him blood-thirsty, and I kinda felt bad for him.

~Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.~

[Ryan]

This is a fast-paced graphic novel. It’s about a raccoon who is a chef. They spent their life in the kitchen making stuff but one night while on a hunt for an egg they find a baby crow. Then they make it their mission to get this baby crow back to a nest. Along the trip they’ll make new friends find new animals, restaurants, and even try to survive an owl attack. This book was lots of fun. I wouldn’t call it a beginner even though there are a lot more illustrations and there are words, I would put this third fourth grade and it was a joy to read.

[Betsy]

I picked this up the day after we watched Ratatouille with our kids not knowing anything about it. What is it about rodents being passionate about cooking that is so dang charming?! I loved this graphic novel: the illustrations, the cast of characters, the journey, and the depiction of kindness and friendship along the way were all perfection. I’ll be putting this into the hands of my 2nd grader asap!

[Matt Glaviano]

3.5

What was meant to be the last book of 2025 didn't get finished until after midnight. Happy New Year.

A gentle graphic novel about found families and cooking. Water color illustrations set a comfortable mood even if they don't translate particularly well to this book's more action-y sequences.

Cute book that would be a pretty easy later elementary school recommendation.

[YSBR]

A little racoon named Night Chef lives incognito in a human restaurant but it’s a lonely life. The people are on to her after hours cooking adventures and have locked up all the food! In her search for an egg to top off her meager ramen, she rescues a newly hatched crow, whom she christens Ichi (his sole line of dialogue, repeated throughout the tale, is “Eech”), and promptly decides to reunite him with his flock. Thus begins a classic quest, with Night Chef and Ichi stopping along the way to work in the Mole’s Hole Restaurant (which serves many worm-based dishes), whip up a meal in a human diner overrun with racoons, and ride the rails with a pack of hungry dogs. All the while, the pair is pursued by a crazed owl, adding some action sequences to the mix. After finally returning Ichi to his family, there’s time for one final trip to the Mole Hole and a community battle against the owl, with support from some unexpected allies. Night Chef is a delightful and original character, hardworking, brave, optimistic, and endlessly creative in the kitchen. She inhabits her cooking persona like a ninja, excited to learn about the mystical world of flavor and repeating mantras when she feels overwhelmed: “A chef will assist when needed”, “A chef will follow her nose”, and “A chef will master her timing”. Song has created three-dimensional characters with texture and foibles, even when they’re only part of the plot for a few pages. The Mole’s Hole itself has plenty of personality, with its hard-working staff, its grill for roasting fireflies, and its board of daily (worm) specials. The relationship between Night Chef and Ichi really reminded me of Snoopy and Woodstock and the whole book recalled, the world of Charles Shultz’s Peanuts, mixing gentle humor, existential (and age-appropriate) musings, and “old-fashion” ideas about friendship, loyalty, and self-discovery.

Song’s delicate and beautiful watercolor illustrations, with added black lines for emphasis, and her elegant, hand drawn lettering make this book a standout. So many graphic novels for this age group feature flat digital illustrations, frantic motion, and throwaway characters; instead, this one strategically deploys its artistic flair to advance the story. The framed panels effortlessly shift in size and shape, but the layout never distracts. The soft, organic color palette perfectly suits the natural world, while the animals remain adorable but vaguely realistic (despite wearing clothes, eyeglasses, and bowties). Song also includes some fun backmatter, including directions for drawing the Night Chef and a few recipes. Link to complete review: https://ysbookreviews.wordpress.com/2...

[Linda (The Arizona Bookstagrammer)]

This book was gifted by Random House Children’s Books. Thank you @randomhousekids #RandomHouseKidsPartner and Mika Song @mikasongdraws !
“Night Chef: An Epic Tale of Friendship with a Side of Deliciousness!” by Mika Song⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Genre: Children’s Graphic Novel.

Night Chef is a lonely raccoon with big dreams. She’s spent years secretly living in the walls of a fine French (human) restaurant. She knows humans will never accept her, so she stays hidden and alone. One evening, Night Chef cracks an egg open for her dinner, and a baby crow named Ichi falls out! Night Chef must enter the wild woods to reunite Ichi with his family. Along the journey, lonely Night Chef might just find a family to call her own.

Author Song has written a book about friendship, found family, perseverance, and cooking. In addition to the story, she includes drawing tutorials and recipes for birds (with human-friendly notes). Inspired by Studio Ghibli and samurai films, Song’s story is heartwarming, with charming art. It’s cozy, the characters are sweet and warm, it was a Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year, and it’s 5⭐️s from me 📚👩🏼‍🦳 #nightchef

[pineapple tofu]

I received an advanced copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
For Night Chef, a lonely raccoon living within the walls of a French restaurant has its perks and downsides. She, someday, wants to cook with humans, yet is afraid they would never want her. Yet, on one evening while making her ramen, she cracks open an egg and out pops a baby crow. What starts out as a surprise, Night Chef ventures into the wildlands with numerous animals, accompanied by the baby crow named Ichi. Determined to find Ichi’s home, Night Chef stumbles across a tavern on the waterfront full of animals like her. Will Night Chef ever see her own family?
Utterly adorable and just as fun. Night Chef takes the cake where found family and cooking come together in a delightful graphic novel for all ages. I loved the art style, which resembles watercolor, as it appears on every page in darkened browns, rustic oranges, and emerald greens. As a fan of the author’s Norma and Belly series, I hope she continues with Night Chef. This graphic novel is full of warm fuzzies!

[Brian Alan S]

Why did I not know Mika Song is Filipino & Japanese American? I’ve read a Schneider Honor book she illustrated from the Henry book series . . . didn’t know if she would ever appear on my radar again. But here she is! This time both author and illustrator: a graphic novel with illustrations oh so beautiful and oh so gentle as the story itself. It is Publishers Weekly’s Best Book of the Year for 2025 with three starred reviews. This kind of story is food for the soul. Not chicken soup for the soul, heavens no! More like Ramen for the soul. Yes. Ramen. Ramen with egg. Now, if I tell you the key elements to this story, I am afraid i’ll spoil everything. So, if you want to find out why this book is accoladed, go ahead and get your copy! If you are a middle grade reader who needs some kind of icebreaker/palette cleanser, this book is it!

[Barbara]

Ideal for newly independent readers, this graphic novel features Night Chef, a racoon who lives in the walls of a fancy restaurant and learns how to cook by observing the chefs at work. When she comes upon an egg that hatches into a crow before she can prepare her planned meal, she knows she needs to bring it to its home. Into the woods she goes, staving off and owl, meeting new friends who are engaged in a battle for survival, and befriending some canines by opening cans on a train. And that small crow? Returning it to the other crows in their roost leads to some revelations about the Night Chef's own history. This tale is heartwarming--and heartburning, unless you're in the mood for crickets or worms.

[Jackie "the Librarian"]

A valiant young raccoon lives in the walls of a restaurant, and has taken the title of Night Chef. She works the night shift, but is interrupted in her quest to make ramen when the egg she finds in the window box hatches, and she is suddenly the guardian of a young crow. Her quest to take care of the crow and return it to its family leads her out into the world, and a community of other animals running a restaurant of their own.
Beautiful artwork, appealing characters. I wanted a little more story, though, as I was occasionally a little lost in what was happening. I am not always the best at catching all the details provided by the artwork, though.
A good first book of the year, recommended for ages 8 and up.

[K.C. Norton]

This was such a cute middle grade foodie graphic novel! The landscapes are beautiful, and the characters blend animal traits with anthropomorphized behavior in an adorable way. The humor and internal logic of the story are charming. The Ratatouille vibes are strong with this one, though there are no central human characters, and in fact very few panels with humans in them at all.

I love that the whole quest to reunite a nekkid baby crow with his flock began with the desire to make the perfect bowl of ramen. Relatable.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

[Alicia]

Night Chef, a raccoon who has lived inside of a human kitchen ends up hatching a crow thinking it was an egg she could use for making ramen that kicks off an early graphic novel for young readers as she finds another kitchen to be a chef in filled with animals but under attack by an owl. Ichi the baby crow is a part of the story as are other animals and the Night Chef where they'll help one another out both to make a home and make their dreams come true.

The watercolor is exquisite and the early graphic novel is simple and lovely. And who doesn't love a story featuring food?

[Jamie Canaves]

I adored this unique graphic novel about a raccoon who wants nothing more than to be a chef and ends up displaced and going on an adventure. The pitch on this is “Ratatouille meets the magic of Studio Ghibli” and for once I can 100% say I agree with that pitch.

I read it as an ebook from the library and I definitely plan on buying a physical copy to reread and so it will sit on my shelves.

--from 📚On Reading in November 2025

[Rebekah Hendren]

"Anyone can cook." - August Gusteau, Ratatouille

This was a super cute book! Night Chef, a raccoon who loves to cook, goes on an adventure when she leaves the safety of her home behind a restaurant kitchen. Along the way, she discovers other animals who like to cook as much as she does, cares for a lost hatchling, and defends her new found friends against an angry owl antagonist.

I enjoyed the water color style illustrations alot, and the character designs were fun. This was a short and sweet read that I would recommend.

[J MaK]

(3.5) While searching for ingredients for the perfect bowl of ramen, a raccoon known as the Night Chef discovers an abandoned crow’s egg. Unaware of the journey ahead, she sets out to find Ichi’s roost, encountering stray dogs, rabid owls, and a host of colorful characters along the way. The watercolor illustrations are beautifully done and help bring the story full circle, adding warmth and cohesion to the adventure.

[HaileyAnne]

Night Chef is a raccoon living in the walls of a restaurant, using the kitchen every night to cook up delicious dishes. When she finds a newly hatched baby crow, she ventures into the wild for the first time, trying to reunite the crow with its family.

This was so adorable. The illustrations are soft and beautiful. The storyline is so cute, with Night Chef meeting all sorts of new friends and critters along the way.

[Wina]

I enjoyed this graphic novel for ages 6-9, but was surprised it got so many starred reviews from the big names. The art was fine, but not exceptional. Sometimes, especially in action scenes, I had to wrok at figuring out what happened--especially when an animal jumped through a hole or crack. I had to examine the panels carefully. "Oh, that must be a hole, and she jumped through it." The story was sweet, but choppy.

[Ellon]

3 stars (I liked it)

This isn't my favorite graphic novel but it's cute. There are many panels with no words, making it more accessible for younger readers. It's cute how the main character relates everything to being a chef ("A chef always has perfect timing").

The watercolor illustrations are a different style than I'm used to in graphic novels. It's pretty but I'm not sure it really fits this story.

[Corina]

Sweet story about a raccoon chef on an adventure to help return a lost crow fledgling to its flock. Lots of adorable animal characters doing charming, silly, and sometimes dangerous things.

Not quite as tight and punchy as her Norma and Belly series (those are A++), but it's still pretty great. I love her loose watercolor art style and very expressive characters. Not bad for a longer MG graphic novel.

[Ellen]

Not revolutionary or anything, but really sweet story of a raccoon chef on a quest to reunite a lost crow hatchling with its family. Mandalorian and Grogu vibes, but with animals. Cookery, found family, and yes, actual battles abound. I did love that the main character was female - male animals are far and away the majority of protagonists of picture books, so it's nice to see Song bucking that trend.

[Katherine]

A lovely, reflective story about persistence, the power of friendship, and the importance of thinking on your feet. The watercolor art style is divine. Everything about this graphic novel is filled with a warmth that'll encourage kids to come back for repeat readings. These characters are such a delight!

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Graphic for the arc!

[Sabrina Marshall]

Such a cute little story of a raccoon who has always hidden herself away from the humans. She has a knack for making and creating food concoctions that everyone loves. One night while making ramen, she finds a baby bird and her adventure to deliver the baby back to her home leads her in a great adventure.

I loved how quick this story was while remaining action packed and sweet.